Valve structure for an aerosol container



July 24, 1956 A. B. CAMPBELL VALVE STRUCTURE FOR AN AEROSOL CONTAINERFiled Aug. 28, 1953 United States Patent VALVE STRUCTURE FOR AN AEROSOLCONTAINER Albert B. Campbell, Benseuville, Ill., assignor to CampbellProducts Co., a corporation of Illinois Application August 28, 1953,Serial No. 377,047

11 Claims. (Cl. 222-394) This invention relates to a valve structure,and more particularly to a dispensing valve structure for an aerosolcontainer.

Aerosol containers or dispensers are in wide use as dispensing units formaterials like shaving lather, Whipping cream, perfumes, andinsecticides. The aerosol container consists of a container portion anda dispensing valve mechanism of some type. The container is filled withthe ingredient to be dispensed and charged with a compressed gas. Whenthe valve is opened, generally by manual pressure, the ingredients,under the pressure of the charged gas, rush through the valve to theoutside. After the manual pressure is released, the valve reseats itselfto prevent further escape of the contents.

Especially when dispensing semi-solid materials like shaving lather, adifficult problem is encountered in manually regulating the flow ofmaterial from the aerosol container to get the small quantity that isusually required. In aerosol containers equipped with spring closedvalves, the pressure exerted by the operator to open the valve againstthe pressure of the spring and compressed gas within the container issufliciently great that as a result when the valve is finally opened, itgenerally moves to fully open position, permitting an unusually largeand wasteful amount of material to issue from the aerosol container.Further, this larger amount has a tendency to spatter because of theforce of expulsion.

Applicants invention relates to a valve structure which will open onlypart way with the first exertion of pressure on the finger piece. Thispressure is substantially less than that required in currently usedvalves for aerosol containers which require relatively great manualpressure just to open the valve.

Slight opening of the valve by application of relatively little pressureis accomplished through the use of compound valve members of twomaterials having difierent resistances to compression as means foropposing the pressure for opening the valve. The more easily compressedor deformed material forms the gate member of the valve and the materialhaving the greater resistance,

generally in the form of a spring, urges the gate member toward closure.Application of slight pressure compresses the gate member slightly, thusopening the valve slightly. Only upon application of substantiallygreater pressure will the spring be compressed, to open the valve tofully open position thus avoiding opening of the Valve to such an extentthat more of the contents are expelled than the operator desires. Thus,the tendency of the contents to spatter is substantially eliminated.

Applicants gradual or staged opening valve is secured to a base whichhas a central opening. The base is secured to the aerosol container.Inside the container, and secured to the base about the central openingis a bonnet member or housing. Within the bonnet member is a slidableelastic gate element which moves into and out of engagement with thebase to seal the central opening. Also within the bonnet member is ametal spring element in tandem with the elastic gate element thatyieldingly urges the elastic gate element toward closure against thebase. The metal spring element has a greater resistance to compressionor deformation than the elastic gate element. An external plunger orfinger piece is provided for manual movement against the elastic gateelement whereby the central opening may be gradually opened.

The intended life of the valve structure set forth in this applicationis relatively short. Since it is permanently secured to the aerosolcontainer, it has no more use when the contents of the container areexhausted. It must, therefore, be constructed of reasonably pricedmaterials and so designed as to be readily assembled by machineoperation.

An embodiment of the present invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view of the gradual opening valve assembled onan aerosol container shown in the dotted outline;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the cap portion of the aerosolcontainer shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 3.

As shown in Figure 1 an aerosol container generally designated 10comprises a container portion 11, a cover member 12, and a valve,generally designated 13. The container is usually a steel can which theaerosol packager can purchase from a commercial source. The cans arefilled with the material to be dispensed before the valve structure issealed to the can. After sealing, a gas is then forced through the valveto charge the container and its contents. In the preferred embodiment asshown in Figure 1, the container portion 11 has a tapered top portion 14which permits ready mounting and sealing of valve 13 to the container.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the valve 13 has a generally cup-shapedvalve base 15. Base 15 is equipped with curved rim 16 so that it may beattached and sealed to the tapered top portion 14 of the container 11.Base 15 has a central opening 17 and about the opening, a circular insetportion 18 equipped with an upstanding lip 19. Inset portion 18 formsthe seat of the valve.

Cylindrical bonnet member 20 is located internal to container 11 and isadapted to be secured about its periphery to the wall of inset portion18 of base 15, as by a press-fit. Bonnet member 20 has a constrictedcylindrical portion 22 connected to the wider portion 20 by an internaltransverse shoulder 21. Eduction tube 23 is secured to the outer surfaceof constricted portion 22. In the preferred embodiment, tube 23 extendssubstantially to the bottom of container 11. Extending tube 23 in thisfashion permits discharge of substantially all of the ingredientswithout undue loss of the compressed gas which generally rises to thetop of the container. However, tube 23 is not essential to applicantsinvention since the same result can be achieved by tilting the containerdurmg use.

Inside the chamber formed by inset portion 18 of base 15 and bonnetmember 20 is slidable elastic valve gate element 24 which is adapted tomove into and out of engagement with base 15 to seal the central opening17. In the preferred embodiment, the elastic gate element 24 is rubber.Valve gate member 24 is in tandem with metal spring element 25 and isyieldingly urged against base 15 by one end of metal spring element 25,the other end of spring element 25 bearing against shoulder 21. Plunger26 is loosely fitted into and extends through upstanding lip 19 of base15 and bears against valve gate element 24, whereby downward pressure onplunger 26 will unseat gate element 24 from the central opening 17.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the elastic valve gate element 24 issubstantially cubical in shape, the corners thereof being slidablyadjacent to the internal surface of cylindrical bonnet member 20. Thus,passageways 27 are provided for passage of the ingredients of theaerosol container around valve gate element .24. Plunger 26 is insertedinto opening 28 in the sealing surface 29 of elastic valve gate element24. Opening 23 is substantially coaxial with the central opening 17 ofvalve base 15. Metal spring element 25 is a coiled spring having theshape of a frustum of a cone, with the base of the spring adjacentshoulder portion 21 of bonnet member 20. The bottom surface 30 of valvegate element 24 is provided with a neck-like or cylindrical protrudingportion 31 to be received into the narrower portion 32 of the conicalspring element 25. The conical shape of spring element 25 is preferredso that passageways 27 will be unobstructed against passage ofingredients.

In operation, the first applied finger pressure against the elastic topportion of cover member 12 causes finger actuator or plunger 26 to bedepressed a slight distance. The displacement of plunger 26 causeselastic valve gate element 24 to be deformed slightly, the pressureexerted through plunger 24 being insuliicient to compress coiled spring25. The compression of elastic valve gate element 24 results indisplacing sealing surface 29 a short distance from the valve seatportion 18 of valve base 15. The pressure Within the aerosol containerforces the contents up through tube 23, through coiled spring 25 andpassageways 27, between sealing surface 29 of elastic valve gate element24 and valve seat portion 18 of valve base 15, and ultimately throughthe central opening 17 between plunger 26 and upstanding lip 19. Shouldthe rate of discharge of ingredients be too slow, additional pressureapplied to cover member 12 will result in additional compression ofelastic valve gate element 24, thereby providing a wider separationbetween sealing surface 29 of elastic valve gate element 24 and valveseat 18 and consequently a higher rate of discharge of the contents ofthe container.

As the manually applied pressure is increased, a point is reached wherethe coiled spring element 25 begins to compress, thus permittingdisplacement of valve gate element 24 even a greater distance from valveseat 18. This point is determined by the relative resistances tocompression of the materials used in the valve gate element 24 and thespring element 25.

While I have shown and described a certain embodiment of my invention,it is understood that it is capable of many modifications, changes,therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A gradually opening valve for an aerosol container,

comprising a valve base adapted to be secured to an aerosol containerand having a central opening for communication with the containerinterior, an internal bonnet member secured to said base about theopening, said bonnet having an opening for receiving the contents of thecontainer, a compressible valve gate element slidable within the bonnetmember and compressible whereby to move into and out of engagement withthe base to seal the central opening against passage of contents out ofthe container, a compressible spring element within the bonnet memberyieldingly urging the compressible gate element toward closure againstthe valve base, said spring element being adapted to resist compressionuntil said gate element has been at least partially compressed, andexternal means for manual movement against the compressible gate elementfor unseating the valve gate element, the compressible element andspring element being in tandem whereby said central opening may begradually opened.

2. A gradually opening valve for an aerosol container, comprising acup-shaped valve base having a circular central opening and adapted tobe secured to the aerosol container, a cylindrical bonnet member securedinternally to said base, and having an internal shoulder, said bonnethaving an opening for receiving the contents of the container, aresilient valve gate element within the bonnet member and adapted tomove into and out of sealing relationship with said base by compressionwith the base to seal the central opening against passage of contentsout of the container, a coiled spring element within the bonnet memberand adjacent the annular shoulder thereof, yieldingly urging theresilient gate element toward closure, said spring element being adaptedto resist compression until said gate element has been at leastpartially compressed, and external means pressing against the resilientcompressible gate element for unseating the valve, said resilient gateelement and spring element being in tandem, whereby said central openingmay be gradually opened.

3. A valve of the character described in claim 2 wherein the elasticvalve gate element is essentially a cube with a depending neck-likeportion and the coiled spring element has the shape of a frustum of acone, with the necklike portion of the elastic valve gate element beingreceived into the smaller end of the said spring element.

4. A valve of the character described in claim 2 wherein the bonnetmember has elongated tubular extension means which extends substantiallyto the bottom of the aerosol container.

5. A valve of the character described in claim 2 where in the externalpressing means is a solid plunger extending through the central openingof the valve base and secured to that portion of the elastic valve gateelement adapted to engage the said valve base.

6. A gradually opening valve for an aerosol container, comprising avalve base having a central opening for communication with the containerinterior, an internal bonnet member secured to said base about theopening, said bonnet having an opening for receiving the contents of thecontainer, a compressible valve gate slidable within the bonnet member,a compressible spring positioned within said bonnet member normallysupporting said valve gate in sealing relationship to said opening andplunger means adapted to exert force against said valve element and saidspring, said valve gate being adapted first to move during applicationof force by said means to provide for a substantial movement of saidplunger means, and said spring being adapted to move upon application ofthreshold force greater than that required to compress said valve gate.

7. The device according to claim 6 wherein the valve gate element issubstantially different in cross-sectional configuration from saidbonnet whereby to form a channel between said valve gate element andsaid bonnet.

8. A gradually opening valve for an aerosol container as set forth inclaim 6 wherein the bonnet member has an elongated tubular extensionextending from the opening in the bonnet member which is capable ofextending substantially to the bottom of the container.

9. In an aerosol dispenser: a dispenser container having an opening forreceiving a valve; and a gradually opening valve for said containercomprising a valve base secured to the container at said opening of thecontainer and having a central opening for communication with thecontainer interior, an internal bonnet member positioned in saidcontainer and secured to said base about said central opening, saidbonnet having an opening for receiving the contents of the container, acompressible valve gate element slidable within the bonnet member andcompressible whereby to move into and out of engagement with the base toseal the central opening against passage of contents out of thecontainer, a compressible spring element positioned within the bonnetmember yieldingly urging the compressible gate element toward closureagainst the valve base, said spring element being adapted to resistcompression until said gate element has been at least partiallycompressed, and external means for manual movement against thecompressible gate element for unseating the valve gate element, thecompressible element and spring element being in tandem whereby saidcentral opening may be gradually opened.

10. In an aerosol dispenser: a dispenser container having an opening forreceiving a valve; and a gradually opening valve for said containercomprising a cup-shaped valve base having a circular central openingsecured to the container at said opening of the container; a cylindricalbonnet member having an opening for receiving the contents of thecontainer, secured internally to said base and positioned in saidcontainer, said bonnet having an internal shoulder, a resilient valvegate element within the bonnet member and adapted to move into and outof sealing relationship with said base by compression With the base toseal the central opening against passage of contents out of thecontainer, a coiled spring element within the bonnet member and adjacentthe annular shoulder thereof, said spring element yieldingly urging theresilient gate element toward closure, said spring element being adaptedto resist compression until said gate element has been at leastpartially compressed, and external means pressing against the resilientcompressible gate element for unseating the valve, said resilient gateelement and spring element being in tandem, whereby said central openingmay be gradually opened.

11. In an aerosol dispenser: a dispenser container having an opening forreceiving a valve; and a gradually opening valve for said containercomprising a valve base having a central opening for communication Withthe container interior, said base member being secured to the containerat the container opening, an internal bonnet member secured to said baseabout said central opening, said bonnet being positioned inside thecontainer and having an opening for receiving the contents of thecontainer, a compressible valve gate slidable Within the bonnet member,a compressible spring positioned Within said bonnet member normallysupporting said valve gate in sealing relationship to said centralopening and plunger means adapted to exert force against said valveelement and said spring, said valve gate being adapted first to moveduring application of force by said plunger means to provide for asubstantial movement of said plunger means, and said spring beingadapted to move upon application of threshold force greater than thatrequired to compress said valve gate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,305,286 Ward Dec. 15, 1942 2,562,111 Michel July 24, 1951 2,615,597Tomasek et al Oct. 28, 1952 2,658,714 Fooshee Nov. 10, 1953 2,670,106Ayres Feb. 23, 1954 2,699,890 Appel et al. Jan. 18, 1955

